As of Tuesday, October 24th, WhatsApp no longer works on Android operating systems older than version 5.0. A change that affects a minority of users.
A page that turns. Owners of smartphones with older Android operating systems have to say goodbye to WhatsApp. As of Tuesday, October 24, Android versions prior to version 5.0 Lollipop will no longer be supported by the messaging service Meta, the platform states on its website.
As of this date, WhatsApp will no longer work on Android Jelly Bean 4.1, released in 2012, and Android KitKat 4.4.4, which has been available since 2014. An abolition that should ultimately have little impact on users of the service: devices that have not migrated to Android 5.0 since the end of 2014 date from the early 2010s and very few are still in circulation.
Compatibility updates every year
If these outdated Android versions of WhatsApp are abandoned, this is not yet the case with older Apple operating systems. WhatsApp remains compatible with all iPhones up to and including iOS 12, which was introduced in late 2018. For example, the first Apple smartphone that does not support WhatsApp is the iPhone 5, launched in 2012.
This development in Android compatibility is no surprise, October 24th has been listed as a date on the WhatsApp page for many weeks. Last August, several press articles mentioned a change in WhatsApp compatibility for older Android operating systems. An update is incorrectly announced for September 1, 2023.
In addition, WhatsApp says on its website that it “identifies the oldest devices and software as well as those with the fewest users every year” and selects the operating systems to no longer support.